


Getting All Ready

by Lauralot



Series: Daddy Issues [10]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-19 05:10:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5954815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lauralot/pseuds/Lauralot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve is very thorough about making sure his kid is ready for school.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Getting All Ready

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by two [Tumblr](http://lauralot89.tumblr.com/post/138938211341/needalittleoldfashioned-kayaczek-what-has-my) [posts](http://lauralot89.tumblr.com/post/138937849851/that-fucking-backpack-clip) based on the latest Civil War trailer. Neither post contains any spoilers: both are just based on Bucky wearing a backpack in the preview.

“I have his lunches in paper sacks in the fridge, Brock,” Steve says. “They’re labeled by day, all right? You’ll just take them out and put them in his lunchbox in the mornings. And make sure there’s an ice pack, okay? Take it out of his lunchbox when he comes home from school and stick it in the freezer. Brock? Are you listening?”

“His lunches are in the fridge,” Brock repeats, watching James flail his way into a sweater. “I got it, all right? It’s not like I never went to school, Steve. I know how to pack a lunch.”

“I put snacks in his backpack too,” Steve says. “That’s allowed as long as—James? Do you need help?”

“I’m _fine_!” James insists, tugging the sweater over his head. His hair is staticky now, hanging in his face. Steve dashes for a brush.

This isn’t the first time the Avengers have left for a mission during a school week. But it is the first time it’s happened while Pepper’s away on a conference and can’t drive the kid. Winter and Bucky don’t have driver’s licenses: Bucky never had his own car and Winter doesn’t even have a birth certificate. Which leaves Brock.

“Daddy,” James whines, squirming as Steve combs his hair.

“You need your jacket,” Steve says. “Hold onto your sleeves while I put it on you, remember?”

James sighs deeply, but he holds out his arms. The jacket has JAMES printed on the tag in permanent marker. There are mittens attached to the sleeves with cords, so James can’t lose them.

“And I want you to wear this at recess,” Steve says. “Your teacher can help you put it on if you need help.”

“I don’t,” James says, pouting. He slides the straps of his backpack over his tiny shoulders, and Steve smiles at him before bending down to clip the chest strap into place. He pats James’s head.

“Do you have your handkerchief?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“Is your hat in your backpack?”

“ _Yes,_ Daddy.”

“And your library book?”

“Yes!”

“What about your granola bars? Do you need more granola bars?”

“Daddy,” James says. “We’re gonna be late.”

Steve insists on telling Brock the directions to the school as they drive, as if Brock didn’t drive there on Parent Teacher Night. As if JARVIS couldn’t take the wheel and drive if need be. Steve even makes sure to point out which streets are the busiest and which intersections are most likely to have _maniacs_ tearing through them.

Steve is more than a little paranoid about James. The kid carries a card in one shoe with his name, address and telephone number, just in case he somehow gets lost in the twenty feet between the car and the school doors. The other shoe has a hundred dollar bill. Plus, James has a prepaid cell phone in case of emergencies, and a keychain on his backpack that can make piercing bursts of sound in case someone tries to abduct him. How the school allows that thing, Brock has no idea. 

His backpack also has a smaller backpack clipped to it. Bucky Bear is strapped tightly into the miniature backpack. The bear has its own little school uniform too, but usually he just wears his standard coat.

Brock glances in the rearview mirror to see James fidgeting in his car seat. The kid looks so tiny, even for his age. It’s almost surreal to think that he was once the Winter Soldier. Brock can’t exactly begrudge Steve for wanting to make sure the kid’s life is happy and safe and _normal._

“This is where the parents drop the kids off,” Steve says, pointing to the line of cars ahead of them. “And you’ll pick James up here too. Wait until you see him go inside before you leave, all right, Brock? I don’t care if the cars behind you are impatient. Make sure he gets inside.”

“I’ve got it,” Brock says. He unfastens his seat belt, twisting to face the backseat. “Need help getting loose, kiddo?”

“No!” James says. But he doesn’t bat Brock’s hand away, and he doesn’t make any move to free himself, so after a moment, Brock clicks him out of the car seat.

“Here’s your lunchbox.” Steve unfastens his own seat belt as he hands it back. “Do you still have your handkerchief?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“Are your shoes tied?”

James sighs, wiggling his little feet in his double-knotted shoes.

“And stop by the restrooms before school starts, okay?” Steve asks. “I don’t want a repeat of—”

“ _Daddy._ ” James says. He pushes at the door handle. “My door’s still locked.”

Steve unlocks the doors with a faint pop. “Have a good day,” he says.

“Uh-huh.”

“Brock and I will be back when you get done at school,” Steve says.

James doesn’t answer. He leans forward, planting a kiss on Steve’s cheek. Then he turns his head and does the same to Brock. “Love you.”

“Love you too, kiddo,” Brock says, in sync with Steve’s “I love you too.”

They watch every step of James’s meandering path up to the doors. He stops and waves right before he goes inside, the mitten on his sleeve swinging.

“Fuck,” Steve says the second he puts the car back into drive. “I forgot Bucky Bear’s lunchbox.”

“Are you serious?”

Steve doesn’t answer, glancing at the clock on the dash as he tears out of the parking lot. “We can make it back before class starts. I’m sure we can.”

“Steve. You have a problem.”

“Bucky Bear gets fussy if he doesn’t have honey.”

“When I drive the kid,” Brock mutters, “I’m putting the honey in his damn lunchbox.”

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is titled for the song "Me and My Best Teddy Bear," as frequently featured on _Barney and Friends._


End file.
